


Peace Talks

by Timballisto



Series: peace and sanity [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Also Zuko has a habit of imprisoning family members, Azula isn't all about killing people, Azula's rehabilitation is discussed, F/F, F/M, She can do art, Zuko and Mai Talk About Feelings, mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-28
Updated: 2014-03-28
Packaged: 2018-01-17 07:22:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1378816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timballisto/pseuds/Timballisto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Besides," she gave him a rare smile. "I doubt you want to be known as Fire Lord Zuko the Imprisioner; you have a very bad track record of throwing your relatives in prison." Mai and Zuko discuss Azula, sculpting, and titles. Maiko and imperceptible Tyzula</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peace Talks

Mai found Zuko staring at one of the ornamental statues in the gardens.

"As much as I love nature," Mai said, her voice flat. "I never pegged you as much of a fan."

Zuko turned, half-smiling. The sun caught the crown in his hair at an angle, glinting in the light; Mai would have thought it picturesque if not for the annoying glare.

"I've had enough of the outdoors to last a lifetime." He answered in an equally dry tone. "I don't care what Aang says- rejecting the trappings of civilization is only going to make me more irritable." He cracked his neck audibly as he stretched. "I like beds just fine."

"Yes." Mai agreed. "You do." Mai gracefully ignored the slight coloring in Zuko's cheeks.

The silence stretched on between them comfortably.

"Azula created that, you know." Mai gestured at the statue that dominated the garden, her voice a little more cautious now. Azula could be a sore subject with Zuko, if he was in the right mood.

Zuko looked up, eyebrow raised. The statue, a sculpture really, was of Agni cupping a fire lotus. His face was serene and otherworldly as he stood in the shade of the leechi tree that spread like a canopy over the hot, dry courtyard.

"Did she tell you that?" Zuko asked, skeptical. _Azula always lies._

"No." Mai said, and pointed to the god's hand, where a ring had been carved. Zuko could barely make out the characters- they looked smudged and eroded- but he could see the vague characters of Azula's name.

"She would." Zuko sighed, wondering if it'd be too juvenile to have it taken down now. "Since when was Azula interested in the arts?"

Mai shrugged. "She got into it at the Academy- that's about when her fire bending started to turn blue. She'd started to set things on fire accidentally- received a few subtly worded threats from Ozai- and turned to sculpting to get rid of some of the excess heat."

"That doesn't sound like Azula."

"No, it really doesn't." Mai agreed. "This is mostly when she was harmless, before Ozai took a real interest in her."

Zuko snorted. "Father always favored Azula. From birth, even."

Mai dipped her head. "She had a cruel streak, yes. Most children do- I seem to remember more than a few instances where you threw me in the turtleduck pool yourself." she said wryly, her voice still perfectly flat.

Zuko scowled.

"At Omashu, she had my father prepare 50 little 1x1 blocks of scrap iron- he didn't dare refuse her when she was sitting in his seat, really- and she would mould little figurines whenever we had to stay in the tanks." Mai shrugged. "Azula was almost bearable to be around when she was busy making things."

"Azula doesn't make things." Zuko said. She was usually destroying something- it was her definition of fun. Kicking baby koalabears and conquering Earth Kingdom strongholds were her afternoon leisure activities.

"She had her excuses." Mai rolled her eyes. "It helped with her control, she was bored-" Mai shrugged. "Mostly she did it to keep Ty Lee happy."

"Azula was emotionally invested in the happiness in another person?" Zuko scoffed.

Mai gave him a look. "For all her power, Azula is an emotionally repressed 14 year old with mommy and daddy issues." Zuko twitched at the change of tense. He shifted uncomfortably. He was so used to thinking of Azula as a thing of the past that he sometimes forgot that his sister wasn't dead.

"Father loved her." Zuko repeated slightly petulantly. "And why do you care so much? I though you hated her?"

"I never knew where I stood with Azula, but I consider her my friend. Even after... everything."

"She used Tom-Tom as collateral. She tried to kill you." Zuko reminded his fiance. 

"I owe her." Mai said shortly. "How do you think a third tier noble family like mine was able to get such a coveted position in Omashu?"

"So you feel indebted to her." Zuko said.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Yes, you moron."

"She'll just try to kill you, you know."

Mai snorted. "Zuko, Azula suffered a nervous breakdown and started spitting blue fire after she lost to you." She huffed. "I know you know that Azula could've melted those chains into molten slop; I don't think she's much of a threat right now. And if she is, I'll take care of myself.."

Zuko turned fully to Mai. "Is this a really blunt way of telling me to let my crazy power hungry sister out of prison?"

Mai smirked. "No so crazed anymore. In fact, she's rather 'new and improved'."

"Define."

Mai folded her hands into her sleeves. "Dear Avatar Roku visited her in a dream. He was very clear."

"Avatars don't scare Azula." Zuko reminded her. Was he the only one who remembered that his sister was a sociopath? 

"No," Mai agreed. "But you forget, Azula is loyal to the Fire Nation. She'd rather die than become a traitor to her country. Luckily, that includes regicide. No assassination attempts for you."

"You'd trust her word?" Zuko growled.

Mai gave a dry laugh. "About as far as I could throw her. I trust her ambition. She knows if she wants to be anything other than Fire Lord Zuko's crazy sister, she needs to play by the rules. Besides," she gave him a rare smile. "I doubt you want to be known as Fire Lord Zuko the Imprisioner; you have a very bad track record of throwing your relatives in prison."

"I prefer Zuko the Peacemaker."


End file.
